Russia rebukes Iran's uranium enrichment plan

BEIRUT — Iran's move on Tuesday to produce higher-grade uranium for a medical reactor prompted widespread international condemnation and an uncharacteristically harsh response by Russia, whose support is key to United States and Western efforts to impose tough new sanctions against the Islamic Republic.

But the response by China, which like Russia wields a U.N. Security Council veto and maintains robust economic ties to Iran, was far more muted, suggesting a tough road ahead for sanctions.

Iranians in lab coats at the Natanz facility cried "God is great" as they transferred uranium from one capsule to another, presumably to begin the enrichment process, state television showed. But it was unclear from Iranian statements whether Iran had actually started producing higher-grade uranium or had only begun testing the process.

The Obama administration condemned Iran's move. "It's provocative, and it deepens our concerns about what the Iran leadership's intentions are," said Philip Crowley, State Department spokesman.

President Barack Obama said the administration and five other world powers are "moving along fairly quickly" to develop new sanctions.

The U.S. criticism was echoed by Russian officials.

"Iran says it doesn't want to have nuclear weapons. But its actions, including its decision to enrich uranium to 20 percent, have raised doubts among other nations, and these doubts are quite well-founded," Nikolai Patrushev, Russia's security chief, told news agencies.

"Political-diplomatic methods are important in the settlement," he said, "but everything has its limit, and patience may come to an end."

But Beijing, which has balked at even harshly rebuking Iran, continued to call for more diplomacy. "China hopes all relevant parties will step up diplomatic efforts and make progress in dialogue and negotiations," Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu said Tuesday, according to the official Xinhua news agency.